Field of the Disclosure
Aspects of the present invention are generally directed to high temperature bonded abrasive tools and components, particularly, high temperature bonded abrasives that incorporate fine microstructure alumina abrasive grits.
Description of the Related Art
High performance abrasive materials and components have long been used in various industrial-machining applications, including lapping/grinding, in which bulk material removal is executed, to fine polishing, in which fine micron and submicron surface irregularities are addressed. Typical materials that undergo such machining operations include various ceramics, glasses, glass-ceramics, metals and metal alloys. Abrasives may take on any one of various forms, such as free abrasives as in an abrasive slurry in which loose abrasive particles in suspension are used for machining. Alternatively, abrasives may take the form of a fixed abrasive, such as a coated abrasive or a bonded abrasive. Coated abrasives are generally categorized as abrasive components having an underlying substrate, on which abrasive grits or grains are adhered thereto through a series of make coats and size coats. Bonded abrasives typically do not have an underlying substrate and are formed of an integral structure of abrasive grits that are bonded together via a matrix bonding material.
State of the art bonded abrasives take advantage of vitreous bonding materials, such as silica-based glass bonding matrices. Alternatively, specialized bonded abrasives for certain applications incorporate superabrasive grits, such as cubic boron carbide and diamond, and may be integrally bonded through the use of a metal alloy bond matrix.
While bonded abrasives have continued to undergo development in recent years, particular attention has been paid to high temperature bonded abrasives that utilize a bonding matrix formed of a vitreous material. An example of a high temperature bonded abrasive component is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,875. While state of the art high temperature bonded abrasive components have improved performance and durability, a need continues to exist in the art for further improved components.